On what is remarkably human, & alive.

My essay, “Perdition Days” — about the visceral experience of Cotard’s delusion, and the impact that it had on my marriage and life — went up yesterday.

I couldn’t sleep on the night of the 24th. Like a giddy child on the eve of the first day of school, I was restless with excitement; the first full essay from the book of essays that I’m working on was to go up on The Toast on the following day.

Please do go have a look. That essay is one of my proudest efforts as a writer; and if you have thoughts or questions, do get in touch via email, Twitter, or in the comments below.

& while I’m sharing, here are a few other bang-up links:

Has the Electronic Image Supplanted the Written Word? (NYTimes.com) Yes, it’s an inflammatory headline, but I respect Rivka Galchen’s writing, and then there’s this: “And I prefer (just personally) the written word to all the other mediums out there, so no amount of compensatory greatness in some other medium mitigates (again, just for me) the melancholy of the written word’s decline. Babies may be adorable, but they don’t make the obituary page any less moving.”

Big changes are happening behind the scenes with my business; Tara Sophia Mohr’s piece about seeing it through came at just the right time. “This is usually exactly when brilliant women sabotage themselves with the resonance trap: when things are starting to succeed, when they’ve finished the most difficult part of a project, or when their work is ready for greater scale and reach.”

I am so grateful for the support I’ve received, in all forms, with regard to both my writing career and my entrepreneurial efforts. Thank you — thank you — for being here, and for sailing alongside me on this journey.

Thank you for sharing these stories and experiences. Your writing is gorgeous and finding your website was such a relief that I cried. I have had my own struggles with depression and I haven’t felt like I could begin anything without being in control. You have inspired me to start from where I am. Thank you.

About Esmé

Esmé Weijun Wang is an award-winning writer and advocate. At The Unexpected Shape, she provides resources that assist ambitious people who live with limitations, allowing them to develop both resilience and mastery on the path to building a legacy. Her debut novel, The Border of Paradise, is now available for purchase.

If you’ve enjoyed and find value in the free work that I do, whether it’s through the Encouragement Notes, the ad-free Journal, my social media presence, or something else, and would like to help ensure that the work continues, please consider making a donation.

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